Effects of aspect ratio on vortex flow patterns in mixed convection of air through a bottom-heated horizontal rectangular duct

Abstract

Buoyancy-induced vortex flow structures and the associated heat transfer were numerically investigated in a mixed convective airflow in a bottom-heated horizontal rectangular duct of different aspect ratios. The unsteady three-dimensional Navier-Stokes and energy equations were directly solved by a higher order upwind finite difference scheme. Results were presented in particular for Reynolds numbers ranging from 5 to 15, Rayleigh numbers up to 9000, and aspect ratios from 4 to 12. The predicted results clearly show significant differences in vortex structures induced in ducts with small and large aspect ratios. For an aspect ratio less than 6 the transverse vortex rolls are periodically generated in the duct entry and gradually transform into longitudinal rolls when moving downstream. The resulting vortex flow eventually evolves to a time periodic state with the upstream and downstream portions of the duct dominated by the transverse rolls and longitudinal rolls, respectively. For a large aspect ratio (A > 9) the transverse rolls prevail in the duct core, with two to three longitudinal rolls existing near each sidewall. The flow oscillation in the region dominated by the transverse rolls is much higher than that dominated by the longitudinal rolls. At high Ra the flow becomes chaotic in time, and the duct is filled with unstable irregular vortex rolls.